LONG ISLAND CITY — Construction is underway at Brooklyn Boulders' newest "hybrid" rock climbing gym in Queens — a space that's set to open later this summer with co-working spaces for freelancers in addition to its bouldering walls.
Brooklyn Boulders, which has three other locations, including its original space in Gowanus, is currently offering hard-hat tours of its newest site at 23-10 41st Ave., just north of Queensboro Plaza in a three-level, 25,000-square-foot facility at the base of a residential building.
It's the second rock climbing gym in the neighborhood, with The Cliffs LIC operating a short distance away.
In addition to climbing walls and fitness classes such as yoga and capoeira, Brooklyn Boulders' new site will also feature "active co-working spaces" and Wi-Fi-equipped conference rooms throughout, with stand-up desks, yoga balls to sit on and pull-up bars for people to use throughout their workday.
George Gong, a member of the new gym's special operations team who said the idea of combining a fitness center with office space was first launched at Brooklyn Boulder's Somerville, Massachusetts location.
"That's something that the owners have really instilled in all of us, is that physicality inspires creativity," he said.
The Long Island City gym will offer several different types of rock climbing, with about 60 percent of its climbing walls dedicated to bouldering, or climbing without the use of a rope or harness.
"You're just climbing up on your own power, using nothing but climbing shoes and chalk," Gong said.
There will also be walls for top rope climbing — where climbers wear a harness and rope that's attached to an anchor at the top of the wall with a person below controlling their rope — as well as lead climbing, where the climber takes the rope with them, clipping themselves to different anchors along the route as they go up.
There's also a wall space for crack climbing, something that's more common in outdoor rock climbing where the person climbs using a small crevice in the wall, and chimney climbing, where the climber ascends a vertical shaft that's enclosed on three sides.
"We offer a lot of classes at Brooklyn Boulders that get you started from the ground-floor up, learning how to manage the ropes, get that harness on, tie those knots, the basics," Gong said. "As well as some advanced classes that get you from indoors, inside a climbing gym, to outdoors."
The gym's climbing walls use a monochromatic system, where climbers attempt to follow routes marked by finger and foot holds of the same color, and many walls feature slopes and overhangs. One bouldering section is similar to a small cave, where much of the route is climbed upside down.
There will also be an area for "climbing training" with equipment designed to increase finger and grip strength.
For those interested in other types of workouts, the gym plans to offer yoga classes, dance classes, personal trainers, standard workout equipment such as treadmills as well as a small area for CrossFit equipment.
There are several bathrooms, separate hand-washing stations so climbers can wash their chalky hands, and locker rooms equipped with small saunas.
The gym expects to open sometime at the end of August, and plans to celebrate with a grand opening party, Gong said. Membership at the gym is being offered at a pre-sale price until the end of July, at $95 a month or $950 for a year.
